Stick handling and inserting method and apparatus
AssigneeChampion International Corporation
InventorEdward D. Cottrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Handle sticks for frozen confections are removed from a hopper by a rotatable slotted wheel and driven by air under pressure through tubes, which can be curved, to an insertion station. Molds containing partially frozen material are conveyed to and aligned with the station. The sticks received at the station are aligned with the axes of the molds and driven into the molds by plungers.
Claims22
An apparatus for delivering and inserting handle sticks into a plurality of molds for use in combination with a machine having means for filling said molds and moving groups of the filled molds along a predetermined path, the apparatus comprising:
- an insertion station located along and above said predetermined path;
- a stick feeding station at a location separate and spaced apart from said insertion station;
- means for conveying said sticks from said feeding station to said insertion station;
- and
- means for mounting said insertion station for longitudinal adjustment relative to said predetermined path independently of said feeding station.
A method of forming frozen confection products including inserting handle sticks into the partially solidified products comprising the steps of
- aligning a predetermined number of round sticks in parallel spaced relationship with each other;
- propelling said number of sticks through tubular conduits to an insertion station with fluid under pressure;
- filling a plurality of molds, equal in number to the number of sticks, with a confection composition in flowable form,
- chilling the molds to partially solidify the composition,
- aligning the molds with said insertion station;
- mechanically driving said sticks as a group, into said partially hardened composition;
- and
- further chilling the molds to complete the solidification of said products.
An apparatus for delivering and inserting handle sticks into a plurality of molds for use in combination with a machine having means for filling said molds and moving groups of the filled molds along a predetermined path, the apparatus comprising:
- an insertion station located along and above said predetermined path;
- a stick feeding station at a location separated from said insertion station;
- means at said feeding station for aligning a predetermined number of sticks in substantially parallel spaced relationship;
- means for fluidically conveying said predetermined number of sticks from said feeding station to said insertion station;
- and
- means at said insertion station for receiving said predetermined number of sticks, for aligning said sticks with the central axes of said molds, and for axially moving said sticks into said molds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.